Dust separator equipment



ec 14, 1943 E. F. scHoDER 2,456,329

I DUST SEPARATOR EQUIPMENT.

'Filed oct. 12, 1945 CATLQST lmmalaml Il@ GAS GAS

SZQ llCArALxs-r Fsjzaa Etzc Schade Srv/enter' Enq ZM' Cltbocaeq Patented Dec. 14, 1948 ausi: s EPARATon, nonniirrenr l Erlo F. Scholier,` Union, N. I., assignor to Standard Oil DevelopmentsCompany; va corporation of Delaware appagante october 12, 1945,.s,ria1 No. 622,012

tion of nnely divided solids fromthe gasfsolid K dispersions employed in petroleum refining f processes.

Processing equipment employing fluidized masses are now widely employed in petroleum refining. The catalyst material after the cracking reactionis usually separated from the'iluidized masses by the centrifugall action induced as a result of' the suspension contacting tangentially at high velocity stationary vanesqheld in suitable enclosures. The separation occursas a result of the outwardly whirling motion thus imparted to the iluidized masses. By this means, complete separation of the solid material from the gaseous fluids is not effected. Moreover, this use of stationary vanes involves rapid erosion of the vanes due to the destructive force of the fast-moving catalyst particles. Replacement of the vanes is indeed an important feature in this type of operation. Replacement of the vanes is costly and involves an appreciable time element.

In the equipment of the present invention, more f complete separation of the finely divided solid material occurs as a result of centrifugal action induced by mechanical means. The particular means employed, moreover, permit of the separation of nely divided materials from fluidized masses such as occur in petroleum refinery units in a ready and easy manner without the excessive erosion difliculties experienced in prior equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to furnish equipment which will serve to separate more completely, and less expensively than the stationary vane type equipment, the lnelyldivided solid particles from iluidized masses and gases, such as occur in the treatment of petroleum fractions in catalytic cracking units and in dustladen atmospheres. Another object of the invention is to furnish equipment upon which erosion due to nely divided solids will not involve expensive replacements and frequent processing shutdowns such as are necessary with prior art equipment. With these and other bjects in view as may appear from the accompanying specication, the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawingin which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

The drawing is a cross-sectional elevational 2 view of an embodiment of the invention adapted for the treatment of iluidized masses from a petroleum refinery unit.V

As illustrated, the stream of nely divided catalyst-laden gas from a catalytic cracking unit passes through pipe I0 and is, ejected into a bowl I2 which is capable of rotation through the activity ofA the, motor or turbine I4 to. which it is` connected by means of the rod I6. The bowl I2 is of inverted conical shape with vane type plates I8, as raised members extending from thev top to. near the bottom of the bowl.. A conical' member I 'I forms the. base of the separator bowl and serves. to.y deect materials discharged into the bowl to the inner walls of the latter. The inlet pipe I0 which is terminated just above the conical member I1 is flared at its end I9 for smooth discharge of incoming material against the base of the bowl. The bowl I2 is encompassed Within a large vessel or casing 20. The upper portion of vessel 20 is constricted and terminates in pipe 22 at right angles to the main axis of the enclosure. The lower portion is also constricted, forming a solids eXit line 23. The lower portion of the vessel 20 is of multiple U shaped construction having limbs 24 and 26 and two others, one of which is shown behind the motor or turbine I4. The other limb, which would be directly in front oi the driver, has been broken away for clarity. The rod IB connecting the motor I4 with the bowl I2 passes through the upper end of the multiple U portion of the vessel 20. A pipe 28 connects the upper portion of the multiple U with the upper portion of the enclosure 20 below the pipe 22. On the inside of the vessel 20 surrounding the bowl I2 are replaceable plates 30 lining the inside of the vessel 20 within the vicinity of the bowl I2. The unit is fabricated by a series of ilanges 4l). Either a coupling 42 or similar arrangement is provided to permit ready removal of the bowl by rst removing the lower portion of pipe I Il.

The operation of the illustrated device involves that the catalyst-laden gas is passed through the pipe I0 onto the inside of the bowl I2 which is rotated by the motor or turbine 3 of piping 28 to the upper portion of the vessel 20 just below the gas exit line 22.

The embodiment illustrated is presented to illustrate the principle of the invention, namely, that by centrifugal action relatively complete separation of finely divided solids from fiuidizedsolid masses from the fluid portion may be made. The shape of the bowl,` the natureA and location of the impeller, the type of baille, and the con-v tour of the outer shell as shown present merely particular embodiments and not restrictions oi the invention. Thus, other shapesand contours, including also the additional use of impellers' and bailies, are contemplated within the scope of the invention. The removable Wear plates 30 may be fabricated in sections and made of glass, stellite or other hard-surfacedmrnaterial. ,i The bowl illustrated may be equipped with a removable liner and blades made from similarimate-- rials. The equipment of the invention may be employed alone or in a vnumber of smallerrunits to separate the nely divided solids iromluidized masses as commonly employed in petroleum rening units. The equipment is easily' constructed. and capable of simple replacements. Moreover, these replacements can be made quickly and at relatively low cost. Furthermore, if more than one unit is provided, replacements may be made upon one unit without thenecessity for a. processing shutdown.

What is claimedisz.y k

Apparatus for separating nely divided solid materials from gaseous carrier materials'comprising a housing, outlet means for'the withdrawal of gaseous materials substantially free of ,35

solid materials arranged centrally of the top portion of said housing, a rotatable separator bowl of inverted substantially conical shape arranged centrally of the said housing, a plurality of vanes arranged on the inner walls of said rotatable separator bowl, a conical member forming the base of said separator bowl for defiecting materials to the inner walls of said separator bowl, inlet pipe means for the supply of mixtures of finely divided solid materials and gaseous carrier materials to said separator bowl, said inlet pipe means being arranged centrally of the rotatable separator bowl and being flared at its lower end for smooth discharge of incoming mixture directly against said conical member forming the base of said separator bowl, means for rapidly rotating said separator bowl and means for withdrawing separated solid materials from the bottom portion ofsaid housing.

ERLO n. scHoDER.

REFERENCES CITED' The following references'are of record in the iile of this patent: ,I

UNITED STATES PATENTS? 

